Complaints Managers Save and Shine!

It's hardly the headline you'd expect to see in professional publications - more like an ad for a wonder spray that's on special offer. Workpro complaint management software is not quite a magic wand, but organisations are invited to save a whole lot of time and trouble while they return the shine to a tarnished reputation by bearing in mind a simple rule:

Deal with the complaint as close to the first point of contact as possible:

· Effectively dealing with a complaint on the front line minimises the "handling" cost and has more chance of restoring customer satisfaction.

· Righting a wrong quickly and effectively can actually make people think more of us than they did when all was well. Proving to the customer that you can be trusted to do right can even enhance customer loyalty.

Complaint Cost Escalation

These numbers are just a guide but we have drawn them from comments made to us by complaint managers and others in public sector, insurance and transport:

· A fix via phone call costs about "a fiver".

· When letters and e-mails start to flow to and fro, handling/referring/responding can quickly clock up £200. Most of this may be invisible but the overhead costs are real.

· If an investigation gets under way, especially if a case is referred to an official body such as a Regulator or Ombudsman, a serious complaint can cost £1,200 to £2,000 in management costs alone.

· The cost of actually putting right increases too; in addition to the cost of correcting the error, delayed or poor complaint handling can lead to the demand for greater compensation, even possible penalties from regulators, further down the line.

Workpro is a complaints management system which speeds up the process for resolving complaints, and helps companies use that valuable feedback to make their products and services better in future. Resolution close to the front line is aided through clear guidance for staff at every stage, including built in process workflows and response templates.

A White Paper on “Why recording complaints is not the same as managing complaints” is available in our website Resources section or you can call Lynne Campbell on 0131 449 7071.